A bill has been proposed in the Ohio House of Representatives (HB 319) that would require parents of students who attend school districts rated Continuous Improvement (a "C" rating) or lower to attend a parent-teacher conference.
That's right, require. If you're thinking that Ohio districts rating "C" or lower tend to be those districts that are poorer, and whose families/parents tend to be lower-income, that's an accurate generalization. And if you think that's a confusing thing for House Democrats to rally behind (among all of the exciting education ideas floating around), I agree. But it's less confusing given the track record of Ohio Democrats and the political context that can confuse any Democrat that sets foot onto Ohio soil.??
On the one hand, it seems that the House Democrats who sponsored this bill have been listening to President Obama's remarks about parents' responsibility over their students' education:
"Parents, if you don't parent, we can't improve our schools. You've got to parent. You've got to turn off the television set in your house once in a while, you've got to put the video game away once in a while...You should have a curfew in your house so your children aren't out in the streets all night. You should meet with the teacher and find out what the homework is and help that child with the homework. "
However, when it comes to a majority of the reforms Obama and Duncan talk about - teacher quality, charter schools, performance-based pay - Buckeye Democrats seem to want nothing to do with it, and this includes most legislators, the governor, and (unsurprisingly) the teachers unions. While Senate Republicans support a measure a that would make Ohio more competitive for Race to the Top dollars by lifting a moratorium on cyber charters, requiring the use of student data in teacher evaluations, and allowing Teach For America alums to be eligible for licensure in Ohio (see??Terry's testimony??on SB 180), the Ohio Education Association comes out with these incoherent remarks against it, and House Democrats remain silent.
This isn't petty politics. Ohio Democrats' decision to ignore Obama's reform agenda can have grave consequences for our balance sheets and our children. Not only does it jeopardize Ohio's ability to win much-needed Race to the Top funds (a chunk of the $4.3 billion pie), but students ultimately are the ones who lose each time we protect the interests of adults and shy away from critical reforms.
